Charley
by x-menoriginsfreak34
Summary: Tony Stark has a secret. Does his secret even know him? Does he even know his own secret? Charley has been imprisoned in a testing facility for as long as she can remember. When she finally escapes, can she find this person whose name is on her file? Will he even believe her? I don't own anything you recognize.
1. Chapter 1

I had to leave. I didn't know where the hell I was going or how I was going to get there, but one thing was for sure, I had to leave. I planned to do it tonight when there were few guards out, and I was to be given my dosage of medication for the day.

I hated the medication. It burned and it made my veins feel like they were on fire. It made my brain foggy and my body weak. It was terrible. I had to go through it four times a day. But, they never tell us why.

Yes, I said us. There are many of us here who get tested on. Most of us are older, middle aged, but there are a few, like me, who aren't even 18 yet.

I could tell it was getting late despite there being no windows in the small cell. One of the nurses had put the plate of food for dinner through the small opening in the door where our food was delivered and we were checked on by doctors. I hadn't touched my food in almost three days. I knew they drugged the food to male you easier to test on. A tranquilizer. Not strong enough to knock you out, but strong enough to make you like a piece of meat.

The hatch slid open and a nurse's head came into view. "Didn't touch her food again. Third day in a row, Dr. Harmond. She hasn't even moved since breakfast."

It's true. I had rendered myself immobile sitting cross-legged on the small lumpy bed we were given, staring at the wall in front of me.

"Alright. We'll have to give her a stronger drug tonight before we can do anything else."

"Should I leave the food?"

"No. She won't touch it. I know she's planning something in that smart little head of hers. I just wish…." The rest was cut off by the nurse slamming the hatch closed.

Just a few more hours and I could finally be free of this place. Though, where I was going to go, I didn't know. I knew I had to find the front desk and find my file, then bolt out of here.

The time went by faster with anticipation and, before I knew it, two of the male nurses who always delivered my medication, who I despised so much, were outside my door. One of them slid the hatch open and peeked inside. I stayed stone still, staring at the while wall in front of me.

"She doin' anything?'

"Nah, she ain't moved since this morning."

There was a buzz and the door was opened, the two nurses wheeling in a cart of needles, tubes and vials into the room."

"How's my sweet little buttercup Charley doing tonight?" One of the male nurses, Randy, asked in a sickly, fake sweet voice. I ignored him this time.

"Hmm. No smart ass remark. Strange." The other one, Robert, pulled a manila folder off the cart. Looks like I can skip the stop at the office. Everything was looking good so far.

Randy grabbed my chin and forced my head to the right. "Your bruise is almost completely gone from where I slammed your pretty face on the floor last week, because you decided to throw a bitch fit." That was true. But it wasn't my fault. "Now let's get this over with so Dr. Harmond can figure out what the hell is wrong with you."

Randy grabbed a sterilizing wipe from the cart and began to wipe my arm. He wrapped his fingers around my arm to cut off circulation and I watched Robert open a vial of dark red liquid that almost looked like blood, but it was too thin.

"Got one." Randy said, and Robert handed Randy the needle. "Now Princess, this will only hurt a lot." I grabbed the needle out of his hand and stabbed it into his leg, not carrying in I got a vein or not. "Fucking-" He fell over clutching his leg.

"Get her, Robert!"

I grabbed a needle off the cart and stabbed Robert in the neck. Robert fell over limp.

"Fuck!" Randy shouted. I grabbed the manila folder off the cart and bolted out the door. Everything was working perfectly.

"I'll fucking find you, you bitch!" Randy yelled from behind me. "When I do, I'll make you wish you were never born!" There was a security guard running towards me.

He grabbed his Taser off his belt, but I was faster. I grabbed it out of his hand and tased him, causing him to fall to the ground. I grabbed his gun, his keys and his wallet and sprinted down the hallway towards the double doors I knew led to the outside world.

I used the guard's security pass and heard the safety lock click, making my adrenaline pump 10 times faster. All I had to do was make it past the security fence that was currently being heavily guarded. I ran along the fence for a good 20 feet before coming to the main generator. I checked for any guards close before pulling the switch with all my weight. The lights went out, leaving the entire area in complete darkness.

I began to climb the 10 foot high fence, listening to the guards yelling off to my left. I knew when I reached the top, because there was heavy barbed wire on the top. I ignored the painful cuts and began to climb over the wire, feeling it scratch my legs, arms, feet and hands. I held the keys, wallet and folder for dear life. I made my way painfully down the other side of the fence. I heard the security guards coming closer and I could see flashlight beams, so I jumped the approximate 5 feet to the bottom. I landed on my stomach, feeling the air leave my lungs, but I had to run.

I ran under the cover of bushes. There wasn't much to hide behind since its Southern California and there's nothing but palm trees and flower bushes.

I followed the dirt road to the highway, which I preceded to follow. There were no cars out here since the facility was out in the middle of the desert.

I stick the gun in the waist of my pants, pulling my shirt over it like I had seen on TV when they let us out of our rooms. I clutched the folder to my chest, not wanting to lose anything in it.

I was glad no one was driving along the road since I looked like Carrie from the Stephen King books, dressed in white scrubs, ripped and covered in blood, walking down the highway with no shoes. I probably looked like a nightmare.

The sky was turning a light purple by the time I reached signs of life. There was a gas station ahead that said Chevron.

The only sign of life was the passed out clerk behind the counter. I found the bathroom in the back and slipped inside.

The thing that startled me was the mirror. I had never seen my reflection before. I had dark brown curly hair that went down to my low back. My skin was almost translucent from being locked up in a room with no windows for God knows how long. My eyes were a light brown color, but rimmed red from countless nights of lying awake in pain.

I guess I had a pretty face. My skin was smooth despite being so pale. I knew I should change at least my shirt since I would be coming across a town soon, and people would question someone in white scrubs covered in blood.

I poked my head out from the bathroom. The gas station was still empty ad the clerk was now snoring. I grabbed a T-shirt that said Malibu in blue across the front and a package of band aids, and then went back to the bathroom.

I peeled off the blood covered shirt. There were small, deep cuts all over my body, some still bleeding. I ran a few paper towels under warm water and began to clean my skin, getting rid of some of the blood. I applied band aids to the cuts that were still bleeding. I could see small pink dots where I had been stabbed with needles hundreds of times. I put the Malibu shirt on and threw the old one in the garbage.

I sat down on the floor of the bathroom and opened the manila folder.

Inside were a few documents I didn't understand, a thick piece of paper with a man's face on the front and another piece that said Birth Certificate.

I read the Birth Certificate first. On one line it said Adrienne Blackhorse and on the other Anthony Stark. I had heard that last name before. Some of the nurses were talking about a Tony Stark, who was some billionaire or something.

I looked at the other piece of paper with the man's face. He looked shockingly familiar, like I'd seen him before.

I read down the paper. "Tony Stark goes missing in Afghanistan. Obadiah Stane, Stark Industry manager wants to take over company….."

Obadiah Stane. I had heard that name before too. I just couldn't get over how familiar the face in the picture looked.

I decided that I should try and find Anthony Stark, since his name is on my birth certificate. Maybe, if I tried asking someone in Malibu, but that could be literally impossible.

I finally decided to walk towards Malibu to get as far away from the "prison" as possible.

I exited the bathroom, the folder and wallet in hand. The clerk was still snoring; minus the fact the sky was now a grey, almost pink color. I grabbed a beanie, sun glasses and cold water before leaving the gas station on my journey to find Anthony Stark.

I finally made it to Malibu after a good 30 minute walk. The sun was now over the horizon and people were already out and about. Not many people gave me weird looks, considering I was not the only one who was wearing a ripped pair of scrubs and no shoes.

It was weird being out in public for the first time ever. I had never seen so many people all at once.

I wanted to see everything, know everything, go in every store and see what everyone sees every day, but I had a more important task at hand; stay hidden, and find Anthony Stark.

I began walking down the sidewalk, keeping myself as hidden as possible. I walked along until I saw the headline of a newspaper.

Tony Stark Returns Home

I took the wallet I had stolen from the security guard and put three quarters in.

I grabbed the top newspaper and found a bench to sit on.

"Anthony Edward Stark, better known as Tony Stark, returned home yesterday after his abduction in Afghanistan. Stark is currently back in his Malibu mansion…."

I couldn't read anymore. Tony Stark was also Anthony Stark, and the name on my birth certificate….I had to find out.

But what if he isn't your father. What if there's another Anthony Stark out there.

There couldn't be. I just had to find out. I stoop up, left the newspaper and walked over to the street. I hailed a cab like I had seen on TV, and a yellow car pulled up in front of me. I opened the door and climbed in.

"Where to?" the cab driver asked.

"Tony Stark's mansion."

He looked at me in the rear view mirror. "Why would a kid like you need to go out there?"

"Personal reasons." I looked out the window and he began to drive.

I looked in the wallet and found 6 twenties. I pulled out three of them and waited. The buildings grew fewer and larger. Soon, the taxi driver pulled over on a paved road that led to a cliff. I could faintly see the outline of a large cliff.

"Tony Stark's mansion." The driver said.

I gave him the three twenties. "Keep the change."

I climbed out of the taxi, clutching the manila folder to my chest.

I walked along the paved road, my feet suddenly feeling tired and sore. I longed to rest, but the outline of the huge house was growing nearer and nearer.

There were two cars parked in front of the house. I was limping by now and feeling extremely weak from not having eaten in almost four days.

I walked up to the front door and ran the doorbell. A young blonde woman opened the door.

I held out the folder with shaky hands and she took it hesitantly.

"Tony Stark." Was the only thing I could manage before my world went black.


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up feeling extremely warm and comfortable.

"I don't know. She handed me the folder, said your name, and then passed out. She looks like she's been through hell and back."

"I don't understand this." I heard another voice. "I'd love to have JARVIS do a blood test but she'd need to be awake."

"Poor thing. She looks famished."

"JARVIS, tell me about New Life Testing Center."

"New Life Testing Center, a testing center for cures for diseases ran by Dr. Andrew M. Harmond. In reality, they test new drugs on people of all ages to see how their bodies react." A computerized British voice said.

"Testing center…..Pepper you don't think-"

"Tony come look at this." I felt someone lift my arm.

Calloused fingers ran over the several small puncture marks that I knew would fade over the next couple days.

"What are we going to do with her?"

"Well, if she really is your daughter, you'll have to keep her here."

"But what if she isn't?"

"If she isn't, we can't just send her out on her own. You see the state she came in, do you really want to send her back out like that?"

There was a heavy sigh and I figured it was best to make myself known.

I shifted slightly and regretted it immediately, seeing as my whole body felt like I had fallen down a 400 step flight of stairs.

"She looks just like you, Tony." The woman said.

I opened my eyes and saw two blurry figures looking at me. I blinked a few times to try and get them into focus. I recognized the blonde woman who had answered the door. Next to her was the face I had seen on the front page of the newspaper, which looked shockingly like my own. His brown eyes, the same shade as mine searched my face, a cold calculating look in them. I shied away from his look and focused on the blonde woman. She had a look of kindness in her eyes which calmed me.

"Where am I?"

The last thing I could remember was getting in the taxi in Malibu. Everything else was just gone.

"You're in Tony Stark's home in Malibu, California." The blonde woman said. So I had come to the right place.

"What made you come here?" Tony asked, leaning his elbows on his knees.

"Folder." I suddenly felt like I just wanted to sleep for hours.

I closed my eyes and listened as Tony walked away and came back two seconds later. I could hear him rustling through papers.

"Can you walk?" Tony asked me.

"I-I don't know." I opened my eyes and sat up. I felt lightheaded and closed my eyes for a second until the feeling passed.

Tony stood up and I followed suit, swaying slightly, but caught myself quickly. The blonde woman stood behind me.

Tony began walking out of the room, and I followed him closely. He walked down a flight of stairs to a glass door. He keyed in a code, making me feel like I was back in the prison again. The door unlocked and Tony pushed it open, causing the lights to turn on, revealing a lineup of cars, and a bunch of machines.

"JARVIS, I'm going to need to do a blood test."

"Right away, Mr. Stark." The mechanical British voice said.

Some of the computer screens came to life, and Tony opened a drawer, pulling out two small needles.

"Charley." Tony motioned me over from where I stood.

He took my left hand in one of his, which comforted me. He took one of the needles and pricked my finger.

I barely felt anything, even when he squeezed my finger slightly to get a drop of blood on the table. I watched in awe as the blood sunk into the table. Tony did the same thing to himself.

"What happens if I'm not really your daughter?" I asked hesitantly while he did something with one of the screens.

"I'll have to kill you." I gulped.

"Good to know." There were a couple tense minutes of silence.

"Well, it looks like you won't have to worry about that, Miss. Stark."

It took me a couple seconds to register what he said. He continued messing with the screens. "Pepper, could you take Charley up to one of the guest rooms please." The kind blonde haired woman gently took my hand and led me up the stairs.

We went through a maze of hallways before coming to a stop in front of a door.

"Here is your room for now." She opened the door and went into the room.

I had never seen such a large bedroom in my life. There was a large bed in the center of the room and the whole back wall was made of windows looking out on the ocean. There were two doors.

"This one is your bathroom." Pepper said, pointing to the door closest to the windows. "And this is your closet. I'll have to take you out shopping and get you some clothes tomorrow. For now I'll find something."

She left the room after that. I hesitantly walked forward and sat on the bed. It felt like sitting on a cloud compared to the lumpy one I had lived on for 16 years. Pepper came back with a shirt and shorts in her hand.

"This should work for now. If you need anything just come and find me or alert JARVIS and either Tony or myself will come and help you." She set the clothes on the bed next to me and smiled at me before leaving the room.

I stood up and looked at the clothes. There was a brown t-shirt that said 'Black Sabbath' on it and a pair of boxers. I knew immediately they had to be Tony's. I took them to the bathroom.

The bathroom was larger than the cell I had stayed in. There was a large mirror over a counter with a sink next to the door and a large shower in the far corner, and a bathtub across from that. I stripped out of the Malibu shirt and scrubs and pulled on the t-shirt and boxers. I threw away my old clothes and went back to the bed.

I lay on the bed; my head hitting the pillows, making me feel like I was in heaven. Before I knew it, I was asleep.


End file.
